Helping non-geoscience majors understand societal impacts of environmental issues in technical writing courses

This page authored by Byron M. Straw, University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

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This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Peer Reviewed Teaching Activities collection.

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are

Scientific Accuracy
Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
Pedagogic Effectiveness
Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.

This page first made public: Jan 3, 2017

Summary

In this semester-long activity, students explore the interdisciplinary nature of environmental issues. Throughout the semester, students develop a scientific term paper that ties a topic in their current field of study with an environmental problem. During the first two class periods, students view the video "SWITCH: DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF ENERGY." Students then participate in small-group and full-class discussions about environmental issues, and how they are related to their field of study. Students also start to develop a title for a term paper that will link their current field of study to one or more environmental problems affecting society. After a title is developed, it goes through a peer review process, and then on to the instructor for final approval. Once approved the student develops a 2500-3000-word scientific manuscript. During the last week of the semester, students present their research for approximately 1 hour in the form of a professional poster at the departmental "Poster Fest", an event that is open to the public.

Environmental Science | College Lower (13-14)

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Learning Goals

The primary goals of the activity are (1) to introduce non-geoscience students to the cross-disciplinary nature of environmental issues, and (2) to understand how a variety of these issues impact society as a whole.

Within this context, students learn the following concepts:

There are many environmental issues facing today's world
Most of these issues need input from multiple disciplines to become resolved
How traditional and non-traditional sources of energy are being produced, and the environmental impacts of each
The final discussion associated with this activity requires students to present their research in poster form at the departmental poster-fest.

Context for Use

This activity is designed for upper-division college courses in a scientific writing course, however it could easily be modified for use in secondary schools as well. It was tested in Scientific Writing courses (with ~24 students) in spring and fall of 2016. All enrolled students had a class ranking of sophomore or greater, and are pursuing diverse majors, mostly in STEM disciplines. The course met 3 day per week for 50 minutes each. Most students had no experience with environmental issues prior to the class. During the first two weeks of class, students are challenged to select a topic that would relate to their field of study and make a connection to some type of environmental issue facing society today. To aid students in making these connections, the first two weeks of class focus on current environmental issues in place of lectures dedicated to selecting broad scientific topics of non-environmental concern. Several group discussions, a pre-knowledge, and attitudinal survey, review of current primary literature on environmental issues, and several short videos, such a "Shift" were discussed. The additional environmental component took very little time away from the traditional class schedule.

Description and Teaching Materials

Traditionally, during the first two weeks of a scientific writing class, the students are given the task of creating a title for a term paper that will be developed throughout the semester. Additionally, the students use the finished manuscript to produce a scientific poster that is presented at the end of the semester during the departmental "Poster Fest." This event simulates professional presentations and gives students the experience needed for this type of environment and growth in their scientific discipline.

In previous semesters, prior to the implementation of this activity, students were given the freedom to choose a "scientific" topic, related to their major. For example, Sports and Exercise Science students typically select topics on "recovering from an ACL tear", or "how water therapy can strengthen specific muscles in the body." Another example would be a Chemistry major selecting a topic on some aspect of inorganic chemistry. After becoming involved with the InTeGrate program, it was proposed that the course be modified for the Spring, 2016 semester in order to help students understand the connection between their major and environmental issues facing society today. To continue to allow for freedom in the classroom (allowing students to choose their own topic of interest) the class was modified, and the requirements for selecting a topic slightly changed.
During the first two weeks of class students were challenged to select a topic that would relate to their field of study and make a connection to some type of environmental issue facing society today. Therefore, students retained the academic freedom to still choose a topic that connected with their major, but they would need to add the environmental component. In order to aid students in making these connections, the first two weeks of class were focused on these environmental issues in place of lectures dedicated to selecting general scientific topics of non-environmental concern.
Throughout the semester, the students started to make connections between their majors and environmental concerns they never thought possible. For example, a dietetics major after the first class meeting asked "how could my major have any connection to an environmental concern." After the second week of class, her title was developed, and she started to see a strong connection between her major and sustainable farming techniques, which she then went on to write a 10 page scientific manuscript, and develop a poster that she presented passionately during our departmental "Poster Fest".

Student handout for developing a title with an environmental connection

Teaching Notes and Tips

In order for the project to be successful, there are several items worth mentioning:

Students may have a hard time linking their interests/college major with some environmental concern. Dedicating a 50-mineut period, with in-class discussions on how various disciplines relate to these types of societal issues often helps make a connection. Reviewing students' majors before the first day of class should help the instructor prepare examples to be used in class.
Having students develop an initial title within the first week of class, and having it peer/instructor reviewed often helps.
The video "Switch" can be streamed or a DVD disk can be ordered. Regardless of format, it can take several weeks to several months to receive a DVD copy OR an access code to have permission to stream. The video can sometimes be found on YouTube, however I have found this is not a reliable source.
Poster printing can get expensive, however it is a vital part of the project. Consider having students print with no background color and no fill color in text boxes to conserve ink and reduce costs. If necessary, the posters could alternatively be printed on 11"x17" paper, however this is not ideal.

Assessment

Prior to introducing the activity, a pre-instruction attitudinal survey was completed. After students present their research at Poster-fest, a post-instruction attitudinal survey was taken. Results from the two surveys are collected, analyzed, and reported.

FINAL ASSESSMENT: Students final papers and posters are assessed by modifying the typical rubric used during this class to include a section about environmental concern.

After reviewing the results for the Pre-instruction attitudinal survey (IAI) and the Post-instruction attitudinal survey (IAI), see comments from randomly selected students below, there is clearly a strong indicator that through this type of course modification in the SCI-291 class at UNC, aids in students not only becoming more aware of the environmental issues facing society today, but they are becoming more passionate about the topic and are making connections between their major and the environment. It is recommended that this type of pedagogy be implemented into ALL Scientific Writing classes at UNC to try to help students and our future generation understand the importance of these issues, and how they are directly related to everyone, not just geoscientists.

Show comments from the IAI

I can use this course to help society overcome problems because through my term paper and through poster fest I now know the damages that I can cause. I think that there are simply everyday ways that everyone can make that can have a huge difference on the earth. I personally am not the best at these problems but I know that if I really tried, I would be able to make a change.
I learned many ways that the globe is trying to improve on environmental and sustainable issues. From reading a peer's paper to reading the posters at poster fest, I feel like I am more aware of things that are happening environmentally everyday.
Yes I would use the preventative measures for contaminated water. When there are increased lead levels go further into resources that could cause that like the water and what to do about it.
Doing research for hydraulic fracturing has opened my eyes for the issues of citizens health when hydraulic fracturing waste water is within a certain distance from their freshwater resources. It is going to be critical that the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act change their policies about fracturing to ensure the health and safety of the United States citizens.
This course was really eye opening because it made me realize that we have the technology to make a better world, we just don't have enough of it so that is very positive and it is important to encourage the technology so that we can live in a better world.
Having efforts put in place in the work place to reduce unneeded energy use
By implementing and developing renewable energy infrastructure such as offshore devices that generate electricity from waves - which I wrote about in this class.
As a marine biologist I will have to deal with many forms of environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity, so it will be hands on to try and improve these problems.
I will teach my future students the problems of environmental degradation, natural resources limitations and other environmental issues so that they can make educated decisions and help save the world.
I want to become a teacher so I can pass on what I have learned onto my students to hopefully have an impact on their lives. I also want to encourage practices that help in these environmental issues in whatever workplace I am a part of in the future.
Yes because I am now more aware of the impact that even just individuals have in environmental issues and how a little bit can go a long way.
I would like to have a program in the community about how they all can help our environment and have a more conscious about the natural resources limitations.
Well as the course mainly focused on one major topic of individual research, it is hard to say the course as a whole has impacted my motivation. However, after doing research on environmental sustainability and its relationship to food, I have garnered a greater appreciation for advocating sustainable agriculture. That is something that I will take with me into my professional endeavors.
I wrote my paper on biofuels and biofuels directly affect the field of nutrition.
by reducing air pollution caused by motor vehicles that run on fossil fuels as we transition to renewable energy sources. which in turn, would also reduce our dependency on oil.
I have a better understanding of the worlds energy situation.
I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to make an environmental impact because my major was not in environmental sustainability, but taking this class made me realize that you can help in any major.
As a nutrition major, I have found a job at a food bank that embodies the seed to table approach. Many of their fresh produce that they give out at the food bank are either grown at their own garden or is the discarded vegetables and fruits from local farms.
By considering all aspects of everyday life that affect pollution and, in turn, how pollution affects the health of the population.
Yes, the things I have learned from this course can better help me do activities in my every day life to better help protect the environment. It will also help me teach family and friends better alternatives of saving energy and water.

Pre-instruction survey

Post-instruction survey

SCI - 291 Rubric for term paper

References and Resources

SWITCH energy film and education project (The complete film can be accessed here (password needed))
#energy-issues (collection of short primer videos dealing with energy issues)
Energy curricula for the classroom: This page has many resources for energy curriculum ranging from elementary to higher education. The page is nicely organized, and has many resources for teaching about energy and problems associated with it.
Facebook page with the latest Switch energy articles.
Energy lab videos describing core concepts of traditional and alternative energy sources.

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Helping non-geoscience majors understand societal impacts of environmental issues in technical writing courses

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